An Epilogue
by helloinspiration
Summary: AU: James and Lily got married and had Harry-but not without marital troubles. When their fights eventually split them up, and Lily runs into Severus Snape's arms, what else can James say to his son other than his mother's gone away forever? (One-shot.)


Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, the Marauders, or anything else fantastic about this story. Just the plot...and even that was based off a prompt. Enjoy - er, read it and weep?

* * *

James would be a liar if he said the war had no effect on his marriage.

Yes, they had gotten married _far _too young. And yes, Harry had been the most delightful surprise, but...It turned out all they had was an avalanche for the young couple (hell, they had been _teenagers_ when they'd said "I do") and they were drowning in it.

The tike was fast asleep in his cot upstairs, blissfully unaware of the tyranny/battlefield that was going on in the downstairs kitchen; between the two people that were his world.

"James, is it _so _much to ask that you pick up the house on your day off?"

"I'm sorry, I was busy with _Ministry _paperwork and Harry and the stairs had a misunderstanding - "

"All day, I was hunting down ex -_cons_ and you just lounge about like some _cocky_ teenager - "

"I'm sorry, I wasn't aware we were talking about when we were _fifteen_," James spat scathingly. "I'm trying, Lil, I'm honest-to-God trying, but I'm not superhuman. Even with Hes stopping by every once and awhile I can't do _everything_. But of course, when I do something you _want _done, I don't get a word of thanks..."

"Yeah, yeah, but the extent of my work isn't only filling out damn _paperwork_!"

"I chose to stop working the field for Harry! For _you!_ So I could be around more and you wouldn't have to worry all night if I was alright!"

"Yes, James, because my entire _life_ revolves around you," His wife replied with cold sarcasm.

"I wasn't saying that, but even if I were - "

"Is it so much to ask for you to just...surprise me?"

"Oh, now I need to be a master of _Legilimancy?_"

"I drop physical cues, you know."

"Speaking of which, when was the last time we were in bed together doing anything _besides_ sleeping?"

"Okay, now I need to spent my evenings at home _pleasuring _you. Time for myself is overrated, anyway."

"This about more than that and you _know _it, Lily. We've been distant and I just...want to go _back_."

"You certainly would like aroused little Lily Evans, wouldn't you? Following your every whim and desire!"

"You never did that, and I never asked you to! I _liked _that you played by your own rules - "

"But now I have to play by yours!"

"That's what marriage is! We're supposed to be a _team!_ You and me - together...figuring the world out, making it better for Harry! A place that we can be _happy _in."

"I don't know if I want to share that happy world with you."

"_Excuse _me?"

"You heard me. I'm done. I can't do this anymore."

James took a deep breath, massaging the bridge of his nose. "You can spend the night at the Order headquarters, and we'll talk more in the morning?"

"No, James. I...I can't come back. This all just...too much."

"Ignoring me, fine, I don't care, but what about Harry?"

"I wanted to be a parent, but not this _young!_"

"Neither did I. He's the best thing we've got, though."

"Of course..."

"_What?_"

"I need to go."

He protested as she headed up the stairs, throwing various objects into a bag - none of which, of course, were _theirs_. She picked up a framed picture of the three of them with a baby Harry, and put it face down on the dresser.

The pitter-patter of feet found their way to the master bedroom. A sleepy Harry in his thermal Quidditch-themed jammies was rubbing his eyes. "Mummy? Dad? Was' going on?"

Lily swallowed, kissing Harry's forehead and looking him in the eyes. "Mummy needs to go away for awhile."

"Did'jou have another...fight?"

"Remember, Harry, this has nothing to do with you. Mums and dads have misunderstandings all the time. I love you. Don't forget that." She gave him a final kiss as she jaunted to the front door. And with a distant _pop_, she left, taking James's heart with her.

Eyes watering, Harry looked helplessly at his dad. "Dad? Mum'll come back soon?"

James swallowed, his own eyes welling up. "I hope so. For you, I hope so," he murmured, lifting Harry up into the now much-too-large bed. They both lay awake for a long time, cuddled together in a room with far too many memories.

* * *

Molly had invited Harry over to play with the boys that afternoon, and he was more than happy to oblige. Although no one talked about it, most of the Order knew that James and Lily's relationship had been on the rocks. And now it had full-on crashed face-first.

James quietly nursed a cup of tea at the long table, dark circles standing out from his pale pallor.

Hestia looked at him worriedly, whispering to Remus, who shook his head.

Sirius stood silently against the wall, face dark.

Peter was nowhere to be found. James couldn't sum up the energy to care.

Remus quietly sat down across from him. "If you haven't already, it's time to tell him."

James sank his forehead in his hands. "I...I don't know how. How the hell do you explain to your four-year-old kid that his mother _left_? And that she isn't bloody returning?" He threw his mug in his silent anger. Wordless magic from Hestia cleaned up the mess. This hadn't been the first time, and she was sure it wouldn't be the last.

"I knew that things were bad. Things had been awful. We haven't spent time together in weeks, and when we do, it's been the fights and - the only times we've been intimate are _makeup _sex, and dear Merlin, I know there are things I could do better. I just wonder if - "

"James, this isn't all your fault," Hestia added quietly, sitting beside Remus. "It takes two to make a...relationship work." She avoided the word _marriage_ for obvious reasons.

"We've made it _four _years and she just bloody decides she's done? With no regards, no real conversation? I don't...I don't even _know _her anymore." He trembled; with anger or hopelessness he wasn't sure. "My wife is caring, selfless...absolutely loving towards our son. She puts in all those hours for _us_, not because she has to."

There was a beat of silence as his friends struggled to find a soothing response.

Sirius went straight for the kill. "She's staying with Snape."

His eyes narrowed. "What the fuck are you talking about?"

"Apparently she just ran _right into_ his _open _arms," Sirius seethed. "Snape certainly doesn't mind stopping to tell everyone he sees."

James's hands clenched into fists before releasing, changing the topic. "I can't say, 'Harry, your mum decided she doesn't care about either of us anymore and she doesn't give a flying fuck what happens to us.'"

"Certainly not with that language." Sirius failed to lighten the mood.

His head refusing to stop pounding, he took a sip of the tea that had somehow materialised during their conversation. "I can't do this by myself."

"We'll help you," Hestia told him earnestly. "If you need some of us to stay with you, or you need to stay with some of us - "

"No, I'm not going to be coddled after. I need to do this."

* * *

For Harry's fourteenth birthday, he and his dad went to the Quidditch World Cup with his aunts, uncles, and the Weasleys (who may as well have been pseudo-family too). They cheered all night long, and after the big win, they headed to the pub to celebrate.

They all cheered their mugs of butterbeer, laughter filling the hall. "Alright, next round on me!" James called, a grin on his face. He moved towards the bar to let a waitress know when he saw an unparalleled pair of green eyes. She sat on a nearby barstool, quietly sipping on an undecinerable beverage. He put in his order, refusing to make eye-contact. She had cut off communication ten years ago and she wasn't going to get to waltz right back into their lives. He'd worked damn hard to raise the son she had chosen not to. She was paler than she had once been, and her hair was streaked with more gray than a woman her age ought to have.

With that, James turned around, heading back to the huge party he had entered with. His face blank, he sat down next to Sirius.

"Oi, Dad, you look like you swallowed a pygmy puff!" Harry pointed out jokingly.

"I'm fine. Just was reminded of somebody from a long time ago."

"You're getting old, mate," Sirius chortled. "Reminiscing about the 'good ol' days' already?"

James brought himself back to the present. "Yeah, just remembered that time you convinced Gilbert Sullivan that he was dying of dragon pox."

"That's awful!" A brunette, bookish friend of Harry's from school - Hermione - exclaimed.

"Now let me tell you..." Sirius began melodramatically.

Life went on.

_Harry would go on to graduate from Hogwarts, became an Auror, get married to little Ginny Weasley, and have children of his own. And he did all of that without the woman who had walked out on him and his father when he was only four._

* * *

**A/N**: Definitely not going to mention whether or not Snape works for Hogwarts in this universe. Because he would definitely snidely mention Lily to Harry and...*shudders* I like to think James and Harry didn't dwell to much on her after some time. I know they probably did a lot when he was younger - like boarding the train to Hogwarts for the first time - or much anything like that. But Uncle Remus definitely worked at Hogwarts. So things were alright.


End file.
